R.E.M. - The Second Disc

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock

Tags:

Charlie Puth, Digital Underground, Heaven and Hell, John Mellencamp, Kenny Loggins, Melissa Etheridge, Michael McDonald, Queen, R.E.M., Stevie Wonder, The Charlie Daniels Band, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Puppini Sisters, Van Halen

The Weekend Stream Extra: A Guide to ‘MTV Unplugged’ on Paramount+ (Part 5)

June 22, 2025 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

Welcome to a special Sunday feature of The Weekend Stream, which takes a look at one of MTV’s great live music programs thanks to a recent reissue of one of its best-known episodes. We’re running a five-part deep-dive on every episode of MTV Unplugged that’s currently streaming on the station’s parent streaming network Paramount+! (Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be read here, here, here and here.) The turn-of-the-millennium shot in the arm afforded to MTV by a big-budget teen-pop explosion and the channel’s eventual 20th anniversary in 2001 – growth not immediately deterred by the explosion…

Categories:

Formats:

CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Genres:

Latin, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock

Tags:

Alanis Morissette, Alicia Keys, Dashboard Confessional, Jodeci, Korn, Queen Latifah, R.E.M., Redman, Shakira, Shawn Mendes, Staind, The Sugarhill Gang, Wyclef Jean

The Weekend Stream: May 3, 2025

May 3, 2025 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. We’ve got a real party mix for you this week: alt-rock, soft rock, classic rock (in Spanish!), post-hardcore, funk, Barbra Streisand – you name it, we’re spinning it! R.E.M., Radio Free Europe 2025 EP (Craft) (Apple / Amazon / Bandcamp) The legendary Athens, Georgia rockers have a special, timely treat for fans this weekend. With the real and nonpartisan Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s grants under fire from the current presidential…

Categories:

Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Formats:

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Electronic, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock

Tags:

Barbra Streisand, Christopher Cross, Foreigner, Fugazi, Hozier, Joe Jackson, Los Straitjackets, Marvin Gaye, Nick Lowe, R.E.M., Tammi Terrell, The S.O.S. Band

Release Round-Up: Week of February 7

February 7, 2025 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn for qualifying purchases. WAR, Live in Japan 1974 (Rhino/Avenue) 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Rhino’s ongoing refresh of the WAR catalogue continues with its first release of 2025: a set of previously unheard live material from the band’s tour of Japan, more than half a century ago and featuring the band’s classic line-up. Live in Japan 1974 is available worldwide as a 2CD or 2LP set. The concert includes…

Categories:

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

CCM, Classic Rock, Folk, Funk, Pop, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Amy Grant, Don Julian, Harold Wheeler, Melanie, R.E.M., The Donnas, Various Artists, War, Wilco, Wildside

The Weekend Stream: September 21, 2024

September 21, 2024 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. Some socially minded rock is on the digital docket, as well as more than a dozen releases from one of England’s best-known frontmen. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, The Live Series: Songs of Conscience (Columbia/Legacy) (iTunes / Amazon) Who but The Boss to offer a selection conscientious tunes with a whole new spin? These tracks are, as on all Live Series releases, sourced from multi-track recordings of shows…

Categories:

Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Formats:

Genres:

Classic Rock, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Ferry, Daryl Hall, David Bowie, R.E.M.

Release Round-Up: Week of November 10

November 10, 2023 by The Second Disc | 13 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the titles available today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The Beatles, 1962-1966 (Apple/Capitol/UMe) 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The famous “red” compilation chronicling The Beatles’ early years returns in a new, expanded edition featuring extra songs and brand-new stereo mixes by Giles Martin and Sam Okell. “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Twist and Shout,” This Boy,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” and “Here, There, and Everywhere” are among the added tracks while “Help!,”…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Cassette, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Holiday, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, Rock

Tags:

Bush, Danny O'Keefe, Neil Young, New Order, Powerman 5000, R.E.M., Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, The Beatles, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Wes Montgomery

Party of Three: R.E.M. Goes ‘Up’ with 25th Anniversary Reissue

September 21, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 3 Comments

A quarter century ago, R.E.M. made some surprising steps in their storied career that will be re-examined in a new 25th anniversary reissue of 1998’s Up. The remastered album will be reissued on CD, vinyl and digitally, including a deluxe set that includes a previously unreleased live performance undertaken for the TV drama Party of Five. A Blu-ray includes the album’s long-unavailable 5.1 surround and hi-res mixes, plus rare footage and music videos from the period. All the releases will be in stores November 10. The release of Up came out of a surprising set…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Release Round-Up: Week of August 25

August 25, 2023 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today! Shania Twain, Come On Over: Diamond Edition (Mercury/UMe) 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3LP (U.S.): ShaniaTwain.com 3LP (International): ShaniaTwain.com 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Three years after revisiting one of her first major releases, 1995’s The Woman in Me, country-pop icon Shania Twain will do the same for her 1997 follow-up Come On Over – the album that made her a pop star. The Diamond Edition of Come On Over will encompass a number of formats, including 2CD/2LP standard…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, SACD

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Latin, Rock

Tags:

Alice Cooper, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Bebel Gilberto, John Fogerty, R.E.M., Shania Twain, The Ocean Blue

The Weekend Stream: July 2, 2023

July 2, 2023 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. This week brings an R.E.M. classic given new life by a hit TV show, another side of one of Motown’s sultriest crooners, two Prince-related artists gone solo, dance grooves from Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul and an early version of one of the greatest epic film scores of the ’50s. R.E.M., Strange Currencies EP (Craft) (iTunes / Amazon) The…

Categories:

Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Formats:

Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Electronic, Everything Else, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Hackett, Elmer Bernstein, Fishbone, Janet Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley, Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye, Paula Abdul, Prince, R.E.M., Ralph Tresvant, Richie Kotzen

Release Round-Up: Week of August 19

August 19, 2022 by The Second Disc | 2 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today! Madonna, Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (Warner/Rhino) 1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP (silver): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 6LP: Official Store The first in a planned series of catalogue reissues through Warner Music Group, the new compilation Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones tracks every one of Madonna’s record-setting singles to reach the top of Billboard‘s dance charts, from 1982 debut “Everybody” to “I Don’t Search I Find,” one of four tracks off latest album Madame X (2019) to…

Categories:

Formats:

CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Pop, Rock

Tags:

David Paich, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, Madonna, Neil Young, R.E.M., Sheena Easton

Release Round-Up: Week of October 29

October 29, 2021 by The Second Disc | 3 Comments

Pink Floyd Momentary Lapse Remixed CD BD

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! R.E.M., New Adventures in Hi-Fi: 25th Anniversary Edition (Craft Recordings) 2CD/1BD (now due November 19): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD (now due November 12) : Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP (Original album only; out today): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Craft Recordings is continuing its ongoing R.E.M. reissue series with a 25th anniversary edition of the Georgia band’s tenth studio album New Adventures in Hi-Fi. A 2CD/1BD Deluxe Edition will present the newly remastered original album, a disc of B-sides and rarities, and a Blu-ray with numerous features…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Holiday, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, Rock

Tags:

Buck Owens, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Joe Grushecky and the Iron City Houserockers, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Spice Girls, The Doobie Brothers, Whitesnake

Bittersweet Me: R.E.M. Revisits ‘New Adventures in Hi-Fi’ for 25th Anniversary

August 25, 2021 by Joe Marchese | 4 Comments

Craft Recordings is continuing its ongoing R.E.M. reissue series with a 25th anniversary edition of the Georgia band’s tenth studio album New Adventures in Hi-Fi. On October 29, a 2CD/1BD Deluxe Edition will present the newly remastered original album, a disc of B-sides and rarities, and a Blu-ray with numerous features including a 64-minute outdoor projection film (originally shown on buildings across five cities in 1996 to promote the album release), a 30-minute EPK (Electronic Press Kit), five HD-restored music videos, and the album in both high-resolution stereo and 5.1 surround sound. …

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Genres:

Classic Rock, Rock

Tags:

Funny and You Don’t Know Why: The Second Disc’s Bandcamp Friday Picks for September

September 4, 2020 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

On March 20, as the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting to be understood, indie music retailer Bandcamp made the bold choice of waiving their share of revenue for artists and labels who were cancelling shows and delaying album releases left and right. The result was more music bought by more fans than any day on the site, a record broken on the first Friday of May. Bandcamp Fridays have since taken place in June, July and August – plus the first of an annual occurrence when the service will…

Categories:

Features, News

Formats:

CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Electronic, Everything Else, Folk, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Death Cab For Cutie, Joni Mitchell, Mort Garson, Paramore, Pylon, R.E.M., The Modulators, Wilco, Woody Guthrie

Release Round-Up: Week of November 1

November 1, 2019 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Bob Dylan featuring Johnny Cash, Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15 (Columbia/Legacy) 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings chronicle Dylan’s 1967-1969 recordings in Music City – including those made with a very special guest – on the latest volume of the artist’s long-running Bootleg Series. Bob Dylan (featuring Johnny Cash) – Travelin’ Thru: 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15 boasts dozens of previously unreleased recordings from the…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Holiday, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Bob Dylan, Booker T. Jones, Cyndi Lauper, Garth Brooks, Jeff Lynne's ELO, Johnny Cash, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, R.E.M., The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Uncle Walt's Band, Van Halen

What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? Craft Recordings Preps 25th Anniversary Box of R.E.M.’s “Monster”

September 4, 2019 by Joe Marchese | 2 Comments

Craft Recordings has announced a Monster of a celebration for the 25th anniversary of R.E.M.’s ninth album. November 1 will see the arrival of Monster in various physical and digital formats, all newly remastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound. Monster found the band branching out to explore new sonic avenues, with bolder, louder guitars, minimal overdubs, and spare arrangements supporting lyrics frequently sung from the POV of different characters. Bolstered by the success of the lead single “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?,” Monster entered the U.S. chart at No. 1, and the…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Rock

Tags:

Release Round-Up: Week of June 14

June 14, 2019 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Johnny Mathis, Killing Me Softly with Her Song/When Will I See You Again (Second Disc Records/Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music continue celebrating Johnny Mathis’ discography with two albums on one CD. 1973’s Killing Me Softly with Her Song and 1975’s When Will I See You Again both spotlight Mathis’ silky interpretations of the day’s greatest hits. Killing Me Softly with Her Song was Johnny’s final full-length album collaboration with songwriter-producer Jerry Fuller and…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Reggae, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

ABBA, Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, Carole King, Grateful Dead, Hank Williams, Isaac Hayes, Johnny Mathis, R.E.M., Roger Daltrey, Stan Getz, Tangerine Dream, ZZ Top

What’s the Frequency? Craft Recordings Announced Vinyl Reissue of “In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003”

April 24, 2019 by Sam Stone | No Comments

Yesterday, Craft Recordings announced an exciting new reissue that brings a popular compilation back to vinyl for the first time in 15 years. In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 was originally released in 2003 and collected 18 tracks from the band’s post-IRS era, including their biggest hits (“Losing My Religion,” “Man On the Moon,” “Stand,” Everybody Hurts”), soundtrack recordings (“All the Right Friends,” “The Great Beyond”), collaborations (“E-Bow the Letter” with Patti Smith), and then-new recordings (“Bad Day” and “Animal”). In all, it’s a well-curated sampler of fifteen years’ worth of…

Categories:

Formats:

Vinyl

Genres:

Pop, Rock

Tags:

Review: “Music from Vanilla Sky” and “Orange County: The Soundtrack” LPs From Real Gone

February 19, 2019 by Sam Stone | No Comments

Real Gone Music has recently given soundtrack lovers and vinyl aficionados something to talk about with two new color vinyl reissues of turn-of-the-millennium soundtracks: Music from Vanilla Sky (on “blue cloud” vinyl) and Orange County: The Soundtrack (on orange vinyl). The plots of both films are tied to the music within. The soundtrack for the far-out Vanilla Sky shifts moods and tones while maintaining some sense of cohesion as it takes listeners from classic rock to folk, trance and hip-hop. Meanwhile, Orange County‘s soundtrack is more of a music time capsule of the late-’90s and early ’00s rock and hip-hop…

Categories:

Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews

Formats:

Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Holiday Gift Guide Review: R.E.M., “R.E.M. At The BBC”

December 10, 2018 by Randy Fairman | 2 Comments

“We were a fun party band who somewhere along the way learnt how to write songs,” Michael Stipe is quoted as saying in the notes to Craft’s Recordings new boxset R.E.M. At The BBC. Of course, R.E.M. was much more than that over the course of their nearly 30-year career, going from college underground band to alternative pioneers to global superstars. And with Craft Recordings’ new 8-CD/1-DVD box, you can trace that career as seen and heard by UK audiences over the years. The quartet of Stipe (lead vocals), Bill Berry (drums),…

Categories:

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, DVD

Genres:

Rock

Tags:

Sweetness Follows: Real Gone Announces “Music From Vanilla Sky” and “Orange County” on LP

November 14, 2018 by Sam Stone | 4 Comments

Last month, Real Gone Music announced the release of seven Christmas-related goodies, including a pair of joint releases with Second Disc Records. But, as temperatures fall, Real Gone plans to bring more than just holiday melodies to keep listeners warm this winter. On December 14, the label will release limited-edition, two-disc colored vinyl sets of two cult film soundtracks: Music From Vanilla Sky and Orange County: The Soundtrack. Vanilla Sky was Cameron Crowe’s seventh film. Based on Alejandro Amenábar’s 1997 psychological thriller, Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes), it follows the reflections of a real estate magnate as he tries…

Categories:

Formats:

Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock, Soundtracks

Release Round-Up: Week of October 19

October 19, 2018 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Frank Sinatra, Sings for Only the Lonely: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Capitol/FSE/UMe) 2-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada On Frank Sinatra’s 1958 Capitol concept album masterwork, he sang for Only the Lonely. But now, 60 years on, that classic is being revisited for everyone in a new 2-CD anniversary edition. Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition features the original 1958…

Categories:

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Folk, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Barenaked Ladies, Bruce Springsteen, CHIC, Donovan, Eubie Blake, Frank Sinatra, Herb Alpert, Queen, R.E.M., The Cranberries, Whitesnake

Turn You Inside Out: R.E.M. Collect BBC Recordings for 8CD/1DVD Box

September 6, 2018 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

R.E.M.’s relationship with the BBC was a long and fruitful one, and on October 19, Craft Recordings will celebrate their joint musical journey with a new retrospective release. R.E.M. at the BBC will be available as a super deluxe 8CD/1DVD box set as well as in 2-CD and 2-LP formats. The collections have been curated from the archives of both the band and the BBC, and boast rare and previously unreleased live and studio recordings spanning 1984-2008. The in-studio recordings featured on the box set include a John Peel Session (1998), Drivetime…

Categories:

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, DVD, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Release Round-Up: Week of November 10

November 10, 2017 by Joe Marchese | 2 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Elton John, Diamonds [Various Formats] (UMe) 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Elton John looks back on his extraordinary career with a new retrospective collection, available in 1-CD, 2-CD, 3-CD, and 2-LP formats. Get all of the details right here! R.E.M., Automatic for the People: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Various Formats] (Craft Recordings) 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada / Amazon U.K. 3CD/1 Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada / Amazon U.K. LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada / Amazon U.K….

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Holiday, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock

Tags:

Alex Chilton, Aretha Franklin, Carmaig de Forest, David Heneker, Elton John, Eric Johnson, Guided by Voices, Metallica, Petula Clark, R.E.M., Ranny Sinclair, Rare Earth, Smokey Robinson, Tears for Fears, The Foundations, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

Andy, Did You Hear About This One? R.E.M. Expands ‘Automatic For The People’ For 25th Anniversary

September 14, 2017 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

R.E.M. have announced details on their latest catalogue title: an expansion of 1992’s landmark album Automatic For The People. Following the Athens quartet’s commercial floodgates bursting open with the chart-topping Out of Time (1991) and Top 10 singles “Losing My Religion” and “Shiny Happy People,” R.E.M. initially set out to make a more rock-oriented album but delivered something more intimate and emotionally intense. Part of the record was inspired by the band’s advancing age (singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry were all in their early…

Categories:

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD

Genres:

Classic Rock, Rock

Tags:

UPDATE: Thank You Friends: New Big Star Compilation Coming In May

May 24, 2017 by Mike Duquette | 2 Comments

UPDATE 5/24/17 TO ORIGINAL POST OF 3/6/17: If you do as Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg says and “never travel far without a little Big Star,” some new products related to the legendarily underrated Memphis rockers may find a place on your shelves. Set for release on June 16 from Stax Records and Craft Recordings, the new compilation The Best of Big Star tidily collects (on one CD, digitally, or 2 LPs playable at 45 RPM) 16 tracks from the legendary band’s #1 Record, Radio City and Third; As a bit of a nod to collectors,…

Categories: